My family was invited to be guests of the UniverSoul Circus at Roy Wilkins Park a couple of weeks ago. From the moment we entered the circus, we were impressed by the fun energy of the performers and the crowd. We had such a great time that the Coleman family’s UniverSoul Circus review is overwhelmingly positive. The one exception to our “best time” was a matter of preference, but you can form your own opinion.
UniverSoul Circus Review: The Good
-Entertaining: This was probably the most fun that my family has ever had at a circus. The energetic music and dancing during the show and the intermission was very family-friendly. As my 9-year-old son Sean said, “There was not one dull moment.”
-Diverse: It was beautiful to see so many cultures and geographical regions represented and celebrated – including Cuba, China, Africa and America.
-Interactive: When we entered the circus area, the crowd was clapping and audience participation was a thread that ran throughout the circus. In one portion of the show, four audience members came on stage and tried to follow the dance moves of the circus performer. It was hilarious…especially when a “macho” guy relented and danced to a Beyonce song! Another participation highlight was the “old school versus new school” segment when an older and younger couple were called from the audience to compete. I’ll just write that a split and a thrown wig by “Big Shirley” had the crowd laughing hysterically.
-A Variety of Talented Acts: UniverSoul really does have some of the most skilled circus performers. Highlights included the acrobats who spun around in the air with their necks in a harness(!) The performing dogs were another favorite. They were so cute – walking on their hind legs, jumping, riding a scooter, doing a backflip and more. Sean made us laugh during our ride home when he jokingly said, “I’m jealous. That dog rode the scooter better than me and he did backflips, which none of us can do. The dog is superior to us!” The most intense act was the motorcycle one. The loud noise was a little scary for the really young kids in the audience but the cyclists were awesome. I (literally) screamed each time one flew in the air across the arena doing flips and such. It was amazing!
UniverSoul Circus Review: The Bad
(in my family’s opinion)
-The large animals (elephants and tigers): On the ride home from the circus, I kept saying, “I blame Jungle Book“ for my unease with the two acts that included large animals. After seeing the honored role that elephants play in the the jungle, it just didn’t “feel” right to see them doing tricks at a circus. I’m not saying that the large animals are being mistreated but I no longer think that circuses are the right places for elephants…or tigers for that matter. I could have totally been projecting my emotions but the tigers seemed uncomfortable in their cages during the magician’s portion of the show too. There was a time when I had no problem enjoying a circus with any type of animal in it. Many people still don’t have an issue with it and that is their choice. My attitude has changed over time though… and so has the views of my family members. Moving forward, the only animals that we will watch at circuses are dogs and horses.
UniverSoul Circus could easily get rid of the two large animal acts and still be more fun than practically any other circus. I really hope that they will do that so that my family can go back and enjoy this circus again and again!
Have you seen the UniverSoul Circus with your family yet? If so, what were your thoughts?
